Water in all cylinders

[ajochum]

I am writing this for a friend - you all have been very helpful to me in the past with my engine problems, and I'd like to get some ideas of what he is facing. His boat, a 1984 Sea Ray V6 cylinder, overheated a couple of weeks ago. They didn't notice it until it was pretty hot. He replaced the impeller and all appeared well. He drove it and it ran perfectly. He parked it, had dinner at a restaurant and it wouldn't hardly turn over. After towing it home, he pulled the plugs and all of the cylinders had water in them. He has examined the exhaust/engine cooler and it doesn't seem to show any rust or leakage. He is pursuing a tear down to see if the head gaskets are shot. Our question is: what are the odds of all of the cylinders filling up with water? Wouldn't that require both gaskets to go, in a couple of places on each? Anything else he should be looking at? Many thanks.

 

[tpenfield]

Rust through on the intake manifold is a possibility. Could also be the manifold gaskets. The overheat might have caused the cylinder heads to warp or the gaskets to fail, which would effect both sides of the engine. Hopefully the tear-down will reveal something.

 

[Scott Danforth]

pressure check and leak-down test prior to pulling apart will help identify the problem

 

[gm280]

It could have sucked in water via exhaust. That would account for all cylinders filled with water. Hope that is all it is. :noidea:

 

[ajochum]

It could have sucked in water via exhaust. That would account for all cylinders filled with water. Hope that is all it is. :noidea:

Any idea on how that might have happened (sucked in)? Possible? Could a part have been left out when changing the impeller? I have heard the exhaust can rust internally where it separates the water from exhaust, but certainly not both sides at the same time.

 

[Scott Danforth]

too much weight in the boat, lowering the elbows closer to the waterline.

Installed, the elbows should be 13" or more above the waterline

 

[kenny nunez]

Maybe the over heating melted the water shutters and wave action could have caused it.

 

[96RinkerCaptiva212]

Exhaust flappers are fairly easy to check out to see if they are still "buoyant" and strong enough to hold themselves closed. Regardless, may have more going on now that the cylinders all had water in them.. detonation. etc.. hope it works out for him.

 

[96RinkerCaptiva212]

too much weight in the boat, lowering the elbows closer to the waterline.

Installed, the elbows should be 13" or more above the waterline

Just for clarity, are you saying 13" from waterline to BOTTOM of riser (base)?

 

[Chigwalla]

Maybe the over heating melted the water shutters....

That's really common. Most of the ones I've replaced have been melted, though you should have seen the pieces in the exhaust train when doing the water pump.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Just for clarity, are you saying 13" from waterline to BOTTOM of riser (base)?

top of riser to waterline must be 13" or more. its in the installation manual for both Mercruiser and Volvo.

 

[ajochum]

Thanks to all of you for the great responses. It turns out it was the water shutters. Completely gone except for the rod and bits of burned rubber on either end. He had taken off the heads and one of the gaskets was bad. He is going to have the heads checked for warpage while everything is apart.

 

[kenny nunez]

Be sure to coat the head bolt threads with #2 Permatex or the equilivant.